Use [`funcall` or `apply`](https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/elisp/Calling-Functions.html#Calling-Functions): ```lang-el (setq wrapped-copy (symbol-function 'emacs-version)) (fset 'fn (lambda () (funcall wrapped-copy))) (fn) "GNU Emacs 28.0.50 (build 1, x86_64-pc-linux-gnu, GTK+ Version 2.24.32, cairo version 1.16.0) of 2020-06-15" ``` Although, in general, I would use an [advice](https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/elisp/Advising-Functions.html#Advising-Functions) for wrapping a function.